The Toxic Avenger to close on 3 Jan

The Off-Broadway musical The Toxic Avenger will end its run on 3 Jan 2010, having played over 300 performances at New World Stages. The musical had been selling tickets through to 21 Feb 2010.

Featuring book and lyrics by Joe DiPietro (I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change) & music by David Bryan (Bon Jovi), The Toxic Avenger opened at New World Stages / Stage 1 on 6 Apr 2009, following previews from 18 Mar.

The musical had its world premiere at the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick, New Jersey before its Off-Broadway transfer.

Producers Jean Cheever and Tom Polum say, "We've been blessed with a talented creative team, phenomenal cast, highly skilled crew, smokin' hot band, dedicated behind-the-scenes support group and loyal theatre audiences."

The Toxic Avenger opened to mostly good reviews: "Dopey, intermittently funny show" (NY Times); "Hilarious." (New York Post); "Loud, gross and lovable" (Bloomberg); "Delivers a riotously good time" (Back Stage); "It manages to thoroughly entertain." (Variety).

The Toxic Avenger: Set in the mythical town of Tromaville, Exit 13B off the New Jersey Turnpike. An aspiring earth scientist, Melvin Ferd the Third, is determined to clean up the town's burgeoning toxic waste, until he is tossed into a vat of radioactive goo and emerges as a seven-foot mutant freak and New Jersey's first superhero. Armed with superhuman strength and a heart as big as Newark, he's out to save New Jersey, end global warming and woo Sarah, the prettiest, blindest librarian in town.

Based on the classic 1985 cult film by Lloyd Kaufman, Toxic Avenger premiered this fall at Jersey's George Street Playhouse, where the show became the biggest grossing musical in the theatre's 34 year history.

Directed by John Rando, The Toxic Avenger features Nancy Opel (Mayor), Diana DeGarmo (Sarah), Nick Cordero, Demond Green and Jonathan Root (White Dude).